The Sovereign Power of Parliaments and Kingdoms, Title page 1 – To the reader 1
THE TREACHERY and DISLOYALTY OF PAPISTS TO THEIR SOVERAIGNES, IN DOCTRINE AND PRACTISE. Together with The first part of the SOVERAIGNE POWER OF PARLIAMENTS and KINGDOMES. Wherein the Traiterous, Antimonarchicall Doctrines, Practises, and Attempts of Papists upon the Persons, Crownes, Prerogatives, of their Soveraignes, with the dangerous designes, effects, and consequences, of their present illegall Arming, and accesse to the Kings Person, Court, Army, by meanes of evill Counsellours, are briefely discovered, related; The Iurisdiction, Power, Priviledges, claimed, exercised by our Popish Parliaments, Prelates, Lords and Commons in former ages, exactly paralleld with those now claimed by the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament; which are manifested, to be farre more loyall, dutifull, moderate; more consistent with, lesse invasive on, and destructive to the pretended Soveraigne Power and Prerogative of the King, then those of former ages. And the high Court of Parliament proved by pregnant Reasons, and Authorities, To be the most Soveraigne Power of all other, in this Kingdome, in severall respects; And superiour to the King himselfe: who is not above, but subject to the Lawes: Together with a punctuall Answer to the chiefe Calumnies, and grandest Objections, of Royallists, Papists, Malignants, Delinquents, against the Parliaments Power, and Proceedings; with other Particulars worthy Observation.
The Second Edition Enlarged. By WILLIAM PRYNNE, Utter-Barrester, of Lincolnes Inne.
Isai▪ 24. 16, 17.
Woe unto me, the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously: yea, the Treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously: Feare, and the pit, and a snare are upon thee, O Inhabitant of the Earth.
Psalme 120. 5, 6.
My soule hath long dwelt with them, that are enemies unto peace. I labour for peace; but when I speake unto them thereof, they make them ready to Battle.
It is this second day of May, 1643. Ordered by the Committee of the House of Commons in Parliament for Printing, that this Booke, Intituled, The Treachery and Disloyalty of Papists to their Soveraignes, &c. with the Additions, be re-printed by Michael Sparke, senior.
Iohn White.
Printed at London for Michael Sparke, Senior. 1643.
To the Reader.
Courteous Reader,
THE importunity of some Members of Parliament, hath induced me to enlarge the first Part of this Discourse, with sundry pertinent Additions, and to Re-print it in a greater Character, then before; yet distinct from the following part, for the ease, the benefit both of Stationer and Buyer. When I first entred upon this necessary publike Theame, my Primitive Intention was, to have Collected the chiefe Heads, Reasons, Authorities of this and the ensuing Members, into one compendious Summulary, and so to publish them all together in an intire Briefe: But afterwards considering the extraordinary weight and consequence of that Grand common Cause, both of Parliament and Kingdome, which I was to plead; the Novelty and Rarity of the Subject matter; the extraordinary Prejudice of the ignorant long-deluded world against it; the Potency, Policy, Multitude of learned Advocates (as well Divines as Lawyers) of the opposite Royall, and Malignant party; the insufficiency and unsatisfactorinesse of all late Printed Pleas for the Parliaments Interest, through defect of punctuall Precedents, and Authorities to backe their rationall Discourses; and that a Summary slight debate of these important publicke differences, would give but small satisfaction to the Adversary, and rather prejudice than advance the Parliaments, Kingdomes Native Rights and Priviledges: I did thereupon enlarge my Meditations, my Collections, so farre forth, as straites of Time, with other avocating Imployments, would permit, seconding all my Arguments, fortifying all my Reasons, with such Domesticke, Foraine Precedents, and Authorities of all sorts, as well Divine, as Humane, Politicall, Historicall, as Legall; as through Gods concurrence with, and blessing on my impotent endevours, may effectually convince the obstinate wils, abundantly satisfie the most seduced, prejudicated Judgement, finally resolve the most scrupulous Consciences, and eternally silence the ignorant, the most malicious Tongues and Pennes of all Royallists, &c. Anti-parliamentary Malignants, who are not wilfully wedded to their long-espoused Errors; or more enamored with sordid Court flattery for private selfe-ends, then fairest (though hated, ungainfull) verity, which aimes at nothing but the Publicke good.
For my part, I seriously protest before the great Judge of Heaven and Earth, that I have herein wittingly maintained nothing at all, but what my Judgement and Conscience both (byassed with no sinister ends, no private respects, ayming at nought else but the Glory of God, the settled weale, and Tranquillity, of our distracted, bleeding, dying Church, and State, the onelyonly Motives, engaging me in this Service) informe me, to be a well-grounded, ancient, pregnant, (though lately over-clouded, undiscovered, neglected, much-oppugned) Truth: and albeit most particulars therein debated, have for many yeares hitherto beene deposed (that I say not stigmatized) for seditious, dangerous Antimonarchicall Paradoxes, if not worse, by the generall Torrent of Court-Parasites, Lawyers, Religion, Nature, Law, Policy, the various Precedents, and Authorities of former ages, and throughly digested without prejudice or partiality; they will appeare, yea, shine forth as most necessary, profitable, loyall, State-securing, Peace-procuring verities; yea, as the very Nerves and sinewes to unite; the Pillars to support; the Bulwarkes to protect both Church and State, against all invasions, of heresie, or tyranny; and to keepe all the Potent Members of them within their Legall bounds. Peruse it therefore with an upright heart, a dis-ingaged Judgement, an unbiassed affection; and when thou hast thus done, let nought but naked Truth resolve thy Conscience, and regulate all thy future Actions, services both towards thy God, King, Country, in such sort; That*Psal. 85. 8, 9, 10. glory may dwell in our land; that mercy and truth may meet together; righteousnesse and peace may kisse each other, once more in our Nation; and God may now at last speake peace unto his people and to his Saints: So Truth shall spring out of the Earth, and Righteousnesse shall looke downe from Heaven: Yea, the Lord shall give that which is good; and our Land shal yeeld her increase; Righteousnesse shall goe before him, and sha… set us in the way of his steps.*Isa. 32. 17, 18 And the worke of Righteousnesse shall be Peace; and the effect of righteousnesse, quietnesse and assurance for ever. And we (being Gods people) shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places; Yea, we *Micah 4. 3, 4. Isay 2. 4. Joel 3. 10.shall beate our swords into Plow-shares, and our Speares into Pruning-hookes; Nation shall not lift up sword against Nation, neither shall they learne warre any more; But wee shall sit every man under his Vine and under his Figge-tree, and none shall make us afraid; The effecting, the restoring of which sweete blessed Harmony of Peace and quietnesse throughout our kingdome, hath beene one principall end of this my Labour, which takes away the pretended causes, the nourishing fewell of our present unnaturall contentions, and destructive bloody warres.
Entertaine it therefore, with that Candidnesse and Ingenuity, as becomes the cordiallest Endevours, of a reall unmercenary Philo-pater, who hath freely done and suffered many things, and is still prest to doe and suffer all things, for his dearest Countries service, in an honourable lawfull Christian way; though he receive no other Guerdon, than the losse of all his earthly comforts, and a new addition to his former sufferings. That saying of Symmachus hath been encouragement enough to me,*Apud Ambros. Epist. l▪ 2. Ep. 2. Tom. 5. p. 97. Saluti publicae dicata industria crescit Merito, cum caret Praemio; which I wish were more considered and better practised by some degenerous Mercenary spirits in these sad times; who receive great wages, and doe little worke; refusing to stirre either hand or foote upon any advantage, or necessary occasion to preserve their Native Country from desolation, before they have pursed up their undemerited pay; and yet even then perchance sit still: It is a basenesse not onelyonly farre below*Jer. 45. 5. Christianity, but Humanity it selfe, for men (especially those of publicke place and abilities) to preferre their owne private ends, before the publicke safety; their particular gain, before the commonweale, when the whole kingdome lyeth at stake. But I hope Heroicke English Spirits, will learne more generous resolutions and Activity in times of such extremity; and that those whom it most concernes, will take timely notice, That sordid Mercenaries are the greatest, falsest Cowards; Christ himselfe resolving what poore, what ill service they will do in dayes of tryall, Joh. 10. 12, 13. He that is an Hireling, seeth the Wolfe comming and leaveth the Sheepe, and FLEETH; and the Wolfe catcheth them and scattereth the Sheepe. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the Sheepe. He loves onelyonly his Wages, not his Charge, his Duty; God discover and amend all such, or else speedily discard them. That so all ayming onelyonly at the publique good and Tranquility; we may eft-soone procure, enjoy the same to our greatest consolation.